1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vehicle identification systems and more particularly, to a system for displaying personal license plate numbers.
2. Description of Related Art
All U.S. states and virtually all foreign jurisdictions maintain some form of an identification system to track motor vehicle use. For example, most states in the U.S., for a small fee, issue license plates with a unique set of characters, typically alphanumeric in nature, to the owner of a vehicle when that vehicle is registered. Once issued, the owner mounts the license plate to the vehicle in a conspicuous area, normally the rear of the automobile just above the bumper. The license plate serves as proof that the vehicle to which it is mounted is a registered vehicle in the particular state emblazoned on the plate and provides a simple way to identify the vehicle. For example, many eyewitnesses will provide to police the license plate number of an automobile involved in the commission of a crime.
Generally, after several years of ownership, most states require the owner of a vehicle to turn in his or her license plate in exchange for a new one with a different set of alphanumeric characters. This requirement is primarily because the reflective coating on the license plate, which is applied to improve the legibility of the characters, begins to degrade. Additionally, when a person purchases a new vehicle, a new license plate is typically issued, even if a plate associated with the old vehicle has been registered to the buyer for a relatively short time. As such, most vehicle owners will be assigned several license plates over the course of their driving history.
There are several significant drawbacks associated with the current method of issuing license plate numbers. First, reissuing license plates can lead to bureaucratic record keeping, increased paperwork and greater expense, both for the issuing agency and the vehicle owner. Second, the owner may be misidentified as a criminal if an unauthorized driver uses the owner's vehicle during the commission of a crime and eyewitnesses provide police with the owner's license plate number. Finally, license plates are susceptible to theft, as they can be easily removed from the vehicle to which they were originally assigned and mounted on an unauthorized vehicle. In addition, the problems associated with misidentification may also appear if someone uses the stolen plate during a criminal act. Accordingly, there is a need for a system to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art without leading to complications or substantially increased costs.